'Wardrobes and Rings' offers a journey through Lent in the company of the Inklings and their writings. The notes in this blog are a springboard to group discussion. Feel free to use or adapt as you feel helpful. 

There are two parts to the notes:

Section 1: offers a framework for each of the sessions, no matter which sections of the book you are focusing on. 

Section 2: offers ideas to help discussion for each week of readings. You can choose the two weeks that fit with the timing of your group. 

And remember - these are springboards and suggestions - you know your group, you're in the room with them, so you can work out how best to shape the discussion.

Section 1: A Framework for A Session

Part 1: Settling In:

Everyone's Voice Matters: It's great if everyone can say something at the start, so that they have found their voice in the group. And it needs to be short and none threatening. You could choose one of the following questions:

• What are you thankful for at the moment?
• Would rather...fold over the corner of a book or leave it intact? Meet a dragon or lion? A talk to a fawn (Mr Tumnus) or a hobbit? Sail across an ocean or go on a land adventure? (or other Inkling or book-related 'would you rather' questions)
• Give one word or phrase that describes how your day has been?

Turning to God: A prayer around the themes of  'thanks', welcome' and 'help' can acknowledge that God is actively part of our days & our discussion 

Part 2: Discussion Time: (see Section 2 below for ideas for specific weeks) 

I have found it helpful to start the discussion section with a quick rapid-fire task asking anyone and everyone to name a word, theme or image that has appeared in the book. Writing these on a piece of paper for everyone to see can be helpful. 

To help the discussion section of the session, there are notes in Part 2 for each week for you to choose from to use. These might include:

• Key images
• Key themes & ideas
• Quote to discuss
• If you focus on just one reading (you could read it aloud):
• Quote to discuss
• Reflection Question from the readings:

A few things to be mindful of:

• If there are lots of people in the group, consider splitting up into smaller groups of 4 or 5 for the initial discussion and then coming back together.
• Be aware of the direction the conversations are taking. Some might be more focused on the stories and books, and others on the spiritual lessons. Be sensitive to your group and discern what is helpful for all. 
• Note that, because some of the groups meet on Thursdays, the notes will focus on the readings for the first half of the week.

Part 3: Heading Out:

Give people a chance to reflect and gather their thoughts. You could invite everyone to give a brief response to one of the following questions:

• What one thing do you take with you from this evening into your days ahead?
• What do you want to say to God now, having had this discussion?
• What one word or phrases will stick with you from the session?

Gather the discussion and days ahead together in prayer. You could say a simple prayer, shaped by people's reflections, or the prayer below.

When you no longer know how to be, may the Father take you on your deeper journey. 
When you no longer know what to do, may the Spirit reveal to you your fitting task. 
When all feels lost or foreign, may you know your home in Christ.
On the path that is before you, may you have companions for the journey,
may you find Christ in the stranger, and may you know the love and blessing of God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

By the Northumbria Community From: Celtic Daily Prayer Book 2: Farther Up and Farther In ISBN 978-0-00-810019-3

Section 2: Session Ideas for Each Week

Lent Begins (Pages 5 to 16)

• Key images: Rings, dragons, turkish delight - did any of these images capture your imagination?
• Key themes & ideas: God's will & our will; treasures & greed - how do these themes connect with your day to  day life?
• If you focus on just one reading: Saturday - Eustace and the Undragoning (read it aloud if you want)
  
• Quote to discuss: 'If Lent is a time for setting things aside, seeing more clearly, discerning, event as you resist some desires, what is it that you truly desire
• Reflection Question from the readings: What are the treasures (mathoms) in our lives which we no longer have use for, or which are no longer helpful for us? (Saturday)

Week 1: Nature 

• Key images: Space & the heavens, stars, silent walking - did any of these capture your imagination?
• Key themes & ideas: medieval and modern views of nature; truth and meaning; imagination and reason - how do these connect with your everyday life
• If you focus on just one reading (you could read it aloud): The Heavens Declare (Thursday)
• Quotes to discuss: 'Science itself, of course, is properly speaking only competent to tell us what things are, and where they are; it does not even address the question of what they mean. (Monday) and 'Reason is the natural organ of truth, But Imagination is the organ of meaning.' (Monday)
• Reflection Question from the readings: 'What are the visions and signs of joy that help you not to lose heart in the present struggles?' (Wednesday)
• Bonus Question from me: What place does imagination have in our faith?
  

Week 2 : Time

• Key images: The White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, Legolas the Elf in The Fellowship of the Rings; Trufflehunter the Badger, The angel & the Lizard, A chess piece from Cair Paravel.
• Key themes & ideas: hastiness and rush; sadness and nostalgic regret; a healthy attitude to time; faith & truth passed through generations; different seasons of life, the sacrament of the present moment
• Quote to discuss: 'There is a time for reminiscing about the past and recalling its joys and sorrows, but there is also a time for looking to the future' (Thursday)
• If you focus on just one reading (you could read it aloud): Tuesday: The Great Divorce - The Moment is Now
• Quote to discuss: 'It's not just the stories that are important in passing on the Christian faith, it is also the people.' (Monday)
• Reflection Questions from the readings: 'Are there parts of your life, of your hopes and desires, that you need to let go of, to give again into God's hands? How might they be transformed when he gives them back to you?' ((Tuesday) 'What is at the centre of your life?' (Wednesday)

Week 3 - Creativity

• Key images: 'Light shining on woods, cottages and my own life' (Surpised by Joy), Fairy Stories, The creation story of Middle-earth (Simarillion), The creation of Narnia (The Magician's Nephew)
  
• Key themes & ideas: outward and inward journeys, re-enchantment & holiness, creating and sub-creating, myth-making (mythopeia), delay and maturing, creation as music
• If you focus on just one reading (you could read it aloud): Creation of Narnia (Thursday)
• Quote to discuss: ''The creative act is a God-given gift and one we should continue to exercise, despite our fallen status. Man may be dethroned.. but he is not dis-graced... We still wear our robes of lordship even though they are now ragged' (Monday), 'We can look at the delay as maturing rather than missing the boat.' (Tuesday)
• Reflection Question from the readings: Where have you found the Holy Mountains in your life? (Sunday) Can we be guilty of behaving like Uncle Andrew, focusing on ourselves rather than looking at what God is doing around us?' (Thursday)
• Bonus question from me: Where have you see God creating something good out of hurting or bad situations?

Week 4: Fellowship & Conversion, 

• Key images: Pilgrims in the Cantebury Tales; Thorin's late conversion (The Hobbit); Gollum's rejection of change (The Two Towers), adventuring on the Dawn Treader; 
• Key themes & ideas: fellowship; the inner-ring; conversion & being repurposed; being the support role; Friendship as opposition, antagonism and encouragement; the majesty and the tenderness of God.
• If you focus on just one reading (you could read it aloud): The Mysterious Great-Great-Grandmother (Saturday)
• Quote to discuss: 'Are we not repurposed when we decide to follow Christ? We're no longer the falling-down shed by the stable in which Christ may be born.' (Wednesday)
• Reflection Question from the readings: 'Think of the stories or poems that have given you courage to resist evil, that have renewed your faith and hope' (Monday); 'Who is travelling in fellowship with you?' (Tuesday)

Week 5: The Importance of Story

• Key images: the writing process of Tolkien & Dorothy Sayer, the music in The Silmarillion (Monday), bottled sunshine; Puddleglum's persistence (The Silverchair); spells in 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'; doorways and wardrobes (Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe)
  
• Key themes & ideas: supposing & experiencing; free will; plots, character and free will; changing meaning of words; ideas of heaven; refreshment; story baptizes the imagination and speaks to the spirit; curiosity  and a willingness to explore;
• If you focus on just one reading (you could read it aloud): Freedom of the Creator (Monday)
• Quote to discuss: 'The great value of stories is the way they allow their readers to experience ideas rather than simply think about them.' (Sunday); 'God... is like an author looking at her book on a shelf and knowing that it all came from her and yet the characters were in a key sense free to develop their story.' (Monday); 'Faith and values can be the skeleton underlying the writing, it doesn't have to be the face.' (Thursday)
• Reflection Question from the readings: Are there stories or episodes within the four Gospels that you especially turn to for refreshment?

Week 6: The Ultimate Sacrifice

• Coming Soon